3 Lessons Learned in Colorado – A Teachable Real Estate Investor

So, today is my first day back in the office from a great five-day trip to Beaver Creek, Colorado. As an independent real estate investor (and owner of several other businesses), sometimes it is very difficult to get away. It can seem like every piece of the business revolves around my response, feedback, and decisions. I am very lucky to have a great team around me that enables me to take time off. Thank you to everyone that is a part of it!

This post, is not about taking time off, but rather three important lessons I learned this week while enjoying time with my family in Colorado.

The first day, we put our two kids in private lessons, and Jennifer and I headed up the mountain. I was ready to ski, and (secretly) a little nervous. I had not been skiing since I was 15 (I am 35 now), and I was not very confident that I would remember all of the technical details. I am a pretty athletic, and capable guy. Unfortunately, I am also stubborn and a little on the proud side.

When we got to the top of the first chair lift, I made it all of 15 yards before I wiped out, and almost took a family with me. I laughed it off, and took off again. This time, I made it about 25 yards before I almost ran Jennifer over! Down I went, again. I have three nice wounds on my left leg as a reminder of this fall! This is where I knew it was NOT going to be a fun day. Unfortunately, at this time, I did what many of us do in our real estate investing business. I decided to continue on, and went even farther from safety. Up another chair lift I went, to the top of the mountain.

Long story short, it took me about two hours, (and another dozen wipe outs) to get back to a lift to take me to the bottom of the mountain. We had lunch, and I was done for the day. The result: Jennifer was worried, my kids had a great day, and I was a wreck. I knew I needed help, Jennifer tried to help me, and I was acting like an egotistical jerk; not admitting I needed help. As a real estate investing coach and mentor, I can look back at this (now) with clarity.

The next day, I decided to go to ski school with my boys, because I finally accepted that I could not do it without proper training. After a couple of hours, I was “fixed”. A little technical refresher, and some good pointers, made it where the two-hour debacle from the day before, was ski-able in about 20 minutes.